BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha unit of National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) has expressed concern over a series of unlawful evictions and violation of human rights by the Forest and Revenue departments in the tribal-dominated Nabarangpur district.
The forum members led by president of Lok Shakti Abhiyan Prafulla Samantara have appealed to Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati to intervene and stop all ongoing evictions in Nabarangpur and other scheduled areas to protect the interests of tribals and forest-dwelling communities.
A fact-finding team of NAPM team had visited the district on June 19 and documented large-scale demolitions and displacement of hundreds of scheduled tribe, scheduled caste, OBC, and forest-dependent families across several villages.
According to the report prepared by NAPM, villagers in Hatibadi (Jharigaon block), Mendabeda (Umerkote), Chacharaghati (Chandahandi) and Lakhanpur (Raighar) were subject to widespread demolitions by the Forest and Revenue departments.
They alleged the eviction drives carried out during monsoon have left families without shelter, food, drinking water or access to healthcare. Despite clear legal protection under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, and the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), 1996, the evictions reportedly took place without proper notice and consent of Gram Sabhas while legitimate land claims under the FRA were still pending.
The activists found that homes, shops, community water sources and cultivated lands were destroyed in the presence of forest officials and police. In Hatibadi, 25-year-old Pinki Pradhan’s five-room house and betel shop were demolished when her two daughters, aged 13 and 7, were at home.
In Mendabeda, residents described how the tehsildar issued demolition notices and imposed fines on the same day, leaving little to no room for legal recourse. Widow Shanti Harijan lost both her house and livelihood, and others like Banamali Mali, a tribal farmer, were rendered homeless overnight.
“People were found living in open fields or under makeshift polythene roofs, with no access to basic necessities. Children’s education has been disrupted, elderly persons are without medical aid, and essential community infrastructure like tube-wells have been destroyed despite pleas from villagers to spare them. The tribals are being targeted despite the chief minister being a tribal,” said Samantara.
Despite recent statements by Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari that poor and landless families would not be evicted, the findings in Nabarangpur tell a different story. Entire settlements of impoverished families have been razed, while their legal claims and appeals remain unaddressed, alleged the fact-finding team.